School: Mullingar (Pres. Convent) (roll number 934)

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1. How Flax was Grown (continued)

   

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   The "shoaves" of flax were hung on the standard and scutched by means of a scutch-handle - which consisted of a wide thin board with a stout wooden handle. By scutching was meant - beating - until fibres were loose and soft, and until all the shoaves were knocked out. This done, it was again bagged and sent to the hackler. The hackler had three large bunches of needles - the first very strong, the second somewhat finer, and the third fine. He struck the fibres first against the coarse needle - this was called the first hackling, and the "shoaves" which fell from it were very strong. Fibres were again struck against the second and third sets of needles, and shoaves from third hackling were very fine - and were called "tow". This was usually spun into coarse threads which was made into sacks. The finest of the tow was often kept and laid aside - as it was used by Priest to remove the Holy oils after anointing. The flax was the considered ready for spinning.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. Spinning

   

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   Flax was spun on a small wheel called "a jinny". As the thread had to be spun

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. spinning and weaving (~482)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Cora Donnelly

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

   Informant

   Miss Sheerin

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   74

   Address

   Castletown Geoghegan, Co. Westmeath